From heavy metal to bluegrass to 'roots grass,' Dallas Baker has flirted with a variety of genres throughout his career. The musician has been a member of rowdy bluegrass guys Steel Rollers, jam rockers Big John Belly, and now Dallas Baker & Friends (DBF), which he committted himself to after identifying bluegrass as his musical calling back in 2014. More recently, he coined his DBF sound as 'beachy Lowcountry bluegrass' — easy, breezy tunes that are fundamentally grassy. Named Bluegrass Band of the Year in last year's City Paper Music Awards, DBF recently completed work on sophomore album, Albemarle Blues, which the band will celebrate this weekend on the Pour House deck. Friends David Vaughan, Brad Edwardson, Aaron Firetag, JP Treadaway, John Holenko, Steven Sandifer, and more will join in on the onstage fun. —Caitlin Billard SATURDAY

In a rap landscape that's loaded with synths and drum pads, it's easy to forget that hip-hop producers of yesteryear, like the legendary J Dilla, got the most mileage out of a sampler and an extensive jazz/soul record collection. Dilla's career can be summed up in many ways (too short, cool as hell, Donuts), but local DJ known as D!Z, or Charles Dean, articulates it best: "Obviously, everyone has their own opinion, but the majority of hip-hop heads will tell you that he was the best hip-hop producer that ever did it." Dilla's producer credits are impressive, to say the least. He worked with A Tribe Called Quest, the Roots, the Pharcyde, and De La Soul, but one of his biggest contributions to music is his forward-thinking, experimental hip-hop opus Donuts. It may be cliche to say, but it's impossible to describe the album accurately. It's soulful, jarring, future-gazing, yet it never forgets its roots — and none of those descriptors do the record justice. "I wish it would influence [hip-hop] more," says Dean. Similar to Dilla, D!Z spins a lot of funk and soul, typically at his monthly Royal American gig, titled Souled Out and on OHM Radio's Sunday brunch show, the Soul Preservation Society. D!Z will be joined by DJ Mosaic, or Wes Pickell, who daylights as a graphic designer at his own creative marketing agency, Eyeland Interactive. "He likes to lend his skill to up-and-coming artists to help them with their presentation," says Dean. "Really, his goal is to get people off their feet and get something going for them." In addition to the Dilla songs, the show will feature a 30-minute open-mic segment for anyone who wants to rap over Dilla beats. —Heath EllisonTHURSDAY

CofC's 1770 Records, an arts management course run by Heather McDonald, will launch the first in a series of hip-hop shows at the Music Farm this week. The venue began a new local series late last year in what they're calling the Music Farm Den, an intimate show performed on a small stage near the bar. The kickoff to the college's monthly hip-hop highlight will feature Charleston's Speakerbox, a duo featuring Mardy Says and Slim COD, Greenville artist the RealPK, and local act, Abstract. Abstract, a.k.a. Julian Harrell, has made a name of himself in the underground hip-hop scene of late, particularly after his expert freestyling won last weekend's Super Cypher by Charleston Hype at the Purple Buffalo. For updates on future 1770 events, stay tuned to facebook.com/seventeen70records.
—Kelly Rae Smith FRIDAY

On the surface, the Jacksonville, Fla. trio known as Teen Divorce would seem to have all the hallmarks of a straightforward emo/punk band. The guitars are cranked but tightly controlled, the verses are full of jagged, heavy riffs that lead into blissfully melodic choruses, and singer/guitarist Ben Saunders has the requisite mournful moan of a voice that seems both emotional and detached all at once. But a closer listen to their songs reveals some real departures from the standard emo fare. They pay homage to the arpeggiated, spidery guitars of early R.E.M. on their most recent single, "Died Red," even throwing a bouncing Bill Berry-style drum lick into the song's intro. And on their 2015 EP Be, the band flexes some serious progressive-rock muscle, aggressively shifting tempos and moods on the opening track, "Path," before moving into blurry dream-rock territory on "Into In Two," which is propelled by bassist Shane Smith and drummer David Kennedy's locked-in, hummingbird-speed rhythms. —Vincent Harris SUNDAY